Chapter 326 The Trace of the Outworlder Part ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The night after the day Betty’s sister-in-law Forutis-san was taken to the clinic, I finished dinner and bathing early, and faced the police notebook and memo pad Espera-san had handed to me in my room. The police notebook was something that proved identity, so there was nothing in particular to translate, and the real issue was likely the memo pad.
”Is that the memo pad in question?” Ms. Niya asked, her voice sounding from behind me.
I turned around to find Ms. Niya and Momoka standing there. At first, I had intended to ask Ms. Niya to translate the memo pad, but since she leads troops outside the frontier settlement during the day, I hadn’t been able to ask her. I had tried showing it to Momoka instead, but an unexpected problem occurred there.
”Would it be alright if I also take a look at it just in case?” Momoka asked.
”Go ahead,” I replied.
”Excuse me,” Ms. Niya said.
Ms. Niya, having received permission, took the memo pad and flipped through it, making a difficult face.
”How is it?” I asked.
Ms. Niya shook her head. “…It is just as I heard from Momoka; this is not the Japanese we were using.”
Yes, the problem was that the characters written in this memo pad were a different thing from the Japanese characters that Ms.
Niya and the others were using.
By the way, I can read the characters of this memo pad properly, and it is the same Japanese that I know.
I have talked with Ms.
Niya and the others interjecting Japanese, albeit just words, and there has never been a disagreement in the meaning of the words, but is there such a thing where even though they match to that extent, only the characters are different? However, I cannot think that Ms.
Niya and the others would tell such a lie that also seems to have no meaning, and above all, the situation of the world where Ms. Niya and the others were is quite different from the world I know.
If worlds exist in countless numbers, it might not be strange for there to be a world with such strange discrepancies.
”That’s why I told you that even if Niya looks at it, she won’t be able to read it, you wouldn’t believe me at all,” Momoka said, pouting.
”It’s not like I didn’t trust Momoka… I just wanted to confirm it,” Ms. Niya replied defensively.
”Confirm, what?” Momoka pressed.
”Whether it was characters I knew.”
”……? Huh, wait a second, doesn’t that mean you didn’t trust me after all!?” Momoka exclaimed.
Despite saying it was not that she did not trust her, when she heard the story, Momoka was shocked by the fact that she was not trusted after all. Ignoring Momoka, Ms. Niya returned the memo pad to me.
”Neil-sama can read this ‘Japanese’, right?” Ms. Niya asked.
”Yes,” I answered. “Although, I just looked at it at a glance, so if I read it thoroughly, there is a possibility that I will find differences somewhere.”
Since Ms. Niya and the others cannot translate, I have no choice but to translate it, but because I am hiding the fact that I am an ihomono, I cannot let it be known that I translated it.
However, because of the rumors that Viscount Pelant hired an assassin, there is always someone by my side, so there is no way I can translate in secret.
For that reason, it was decided that I would ask Ms. Niya and the others, who know that I am an ihomono, to act as guards and proceed with the translation.
”How long do you think it will take to translate?” Ms. Niya asked.
”Since I can only work before I go to bed, I think it will take roughly three days,” I said.
Ms. Niya frowned. “Three days for this amount? It was written densely, although it is from a page in the middle, I think it will take a little more time.”
”No, I was told that I only need to translate the second half written after teleportation, so if I do not translate this entire memo pad, I think it will definitely be finished in three days,” I explained.
”‘Told that you only need to’? By whom was that?” Ms. Niya queried.
”That is, of course, by Espera-san, who asked me to translate.”
After connecting the clinic’s basement with different space magic, I was told that by Espera-san as I was leaving. The first half was rough notes of questioning and suspect information regarding an incident that was likely being investigated before teleportation, and as far as I could tell by a quick look, there seemed to be no information that the Theocracy would want to know.
”That is a strange story,” Ms. Niya mused. “That Inquisitor asked you to translate because she does not understand the contents of the memo pad, right? If so, why did she say that only the second half of the translation is fine? With that way of speaking, it can only be understood that she knows the contents of the first half are worthless to them.”
”I also had misgivings about that after confirming the contents of the first half after being told, but I wonder if there is much meaning in doubting that part,” I noted.
”Why is that?” Ms. Niya asked.
”My goal is to show the usefulness of the frontier settlement to the upper echelons of the Theocracy and make them think that it is better to maintain a good relationship. Even so, if I keep doubting ‘what is this about?’ every time, the story will not progress, right?”
”But what will you do if the story that the Theocracy wants to know the contents of the memo is a lie? At the point that you grasp that the first half is content unnecessary for them, the story of that Inquisitor already seems suspicious.”
It is no wonder that Ms. Niya feels suspicious; even if other people heard it, everyone would have thought the same way.
”Hmm, this is something I can say precisely because I am the one who talked directly,” I said, “but Espera-san is not a person who tells lies excessively, it is just that I think she is trying not to say things that touch on the truth or conviction.”
”Doesn’t tell lies, but also does not tell the truth; is that what it is?” Ms. Niya asked.
”That is my intuition.”
”…Since I have not met and talked directly, as for me, there is nothing more I can say,” Ms. Niya said. “If Neil-sama says that is fine, I will just believe Neil-sama’s judgment.”
”Thank you,” I said.
”I also believe in Neil-sama,” Momoka added.
”Yeah, thank you too, Momoka.”
The conversation ended and I began the translation work immediately. I flipped through the pages and looked for the very first page that was likely written after teleportation. Because the way of writing characters had clearly changed from the rough notes up to that point, I found that page immediately.
”Found it.”
The first few pages were written in bullet points compared to the pages that followed, and since the number of characters was small, it did not seem like it would take time to translate.
’Memories just before. Despite the fact that I was staking out, before I knew it I lost consciousness and woke up in an unknown place.
Place where I woke up: The plains that spread to the north of a village called Rocor.
Time I woke up: Morning. When I was staking out, it was daytime.
Belongings: Items other than electronic equipment and the handgun remained. Stolen?
Condition of my body: No visible external injuries. I think I felt fatigue, but there is a high possibility that mental aspects had an influence.
Condition of the surroundings: No shadows of people. No traces of vehicles. Also――’
I finished the translation of the first page where various things were written, and Ms. Niya and Momoka confirmed the contents.
”It seems to be content that summarized the situation immediately after you teleported,” Ms. Niya concluded.
”Surprisingly calm?” Momoka remarked.
”No, I probably do not think this is content I noted immediately after teleportation,” I said. “I think I made a note so that I would not forget when I had calmed down after teleportation.”
”I am of the same opinion as Neil-sama,” Ms. Niya said. “The first few pages are likely in this tone, summarizing the events up to now in bullet points.”
As Ms. Niya guessed, while the first page summarized the situation immediately after teleportation, the same kind of structure continued from the second page, but the number of characters increased, and explanations of the situation became more frequent.
The fact that when I encountered a person and talked for the first time, words that I was not familiar with at all came out of my own mouth naturally, and the other party also used those words, but for some reason I could understand it; that at this time I understood that I was involved in some kind of supernatural phenomenon; that because I was in a suit, it was found out at a glance that I was an ihomono, and because the place I woke up was a kingdom, I was immediately taken to the royal castle; that at that time, I was told that this was another world, that I was an existence called an ihomono, and that there were others like me; that I was asked if I had any special powers, and whether I had knowledge of dangerous things like nuclear weapons or poison gas, was recorded over three pages.
”I see, it seems that the contents up to here were written down when you were protected by the kingdom,” Ms. Niya observed.
”From the next page, it is not bullet points, it looks like a sentence. Is this… a diary?” Momoka asked.
”I wonder if this means the real thing starts here,” I whispered.
’The fourth day since teleportation. I was given some money and kicked out of the castle. It seems the idea of trying to lend a hand to refugees does not exist in this world. Judging from the sense of the era, it seems human rights organizations do not exist yet, so I suppose it cannot be helped. Just before being kicked out, I was told that if an ihomono without any backing is to survive, I should go to the republic.
It seems there are many people in circumstances similar to my own there. I heard that the republic is in the north, but which way is north? If I think of the direction from which the sun rises as east, I suppose the other side would be north, but I wonder if that is the same even in this world. Since I do not know the direction, I will ask even a staff member of the shared carriage for how to go to the republic.’
It seems that on the fourth day since teleportation, I had been given up on by the kingdom and thrown out. The sentence was still continuing, but since this was written while in a swaying carriage, the characters were bouncing here and there, making it a little difficult to read.
’Sure enough, if I am going to ask the way, it is best to ask a human who is in that kind of profession. It seems a country called Theocracy exists between the kingdom and the republic, and it is said that it does not acknowledge the existence of ihomono. I wonder what would have happened if I had just headed north honestly like that.
If I am to head to the republic, it is said that it is safe to first make a detour to the west and pass through the empire. Also, in the carriage, I was able to hear various stories from other passengers. Since I only heard talk like “what is an ihomono” from the officials of the kingdom, I was grateful.’
”I heard that the kingdom is tolerant of ihomono, but when they realize that it does not become their profit, they respond like this after all,” Momoka said.
”Even so, it is still a better response than other countries if they are just showing understanding toward ihomono,” Ms. Niya pointed out. “However, I suppose it will become a matter of another story whether they lend a hand just by showing understanding.”
”I wonder if that is ‘better’?” Momoka asked. “It sounds crueler to banish them while understanding the difficulty of an ihomono living in this world without any backing.”
If one thinks by the values of this world, it would mean that just handing over some money to a human who does not even become a profit is enough to have lent a hand, but for an ihomono, such a thing is nothing but a drop in the bucket.
”To say ‘live on your own after this’ after just handing over money in a land of a strange country I have never even heard of, where I have no one to rely on, suddenly one day without any prior preparation, is unreasonable.”
”But I suppose he managed to leave his name in this world because he somehow accomplished that recklessness. Whether the person himself desired that is another matter, though.”
Masayoshi Sudo: Judging by the police notebook I saw, it seems this person was a detective. Why did a person who was supposed to be on the side of justice come to be called a ‘Crime King’ in this world? The answer to that should surely be written in this memo pad.
”…I will translate the continuation,” I said.
’Seventh day since teleportation¹. I have somehow figured out the cost of living in this world. That was good, but at the same time, there is a bad thing. It is that the money I was handed was a smaller amount than I had thought. When it was handed to me, it was packed with silver coins in a hemp bag the size of one hand, so I had thought there was a reasonable amount in it, but this silver coin is a white gold coin, and if I compare it to the currency of the world I was in, it holds the position of about a 1,000 yen bill.
And the white gold coins remaining in my hand now are eighty-two. In other words, I must leave the kingdom with less than 80,000 yen left, pass through the empire, and aim for the republic. I cannot think that this money will last until then no matter how I think about it. I have no choice regarding the fare for the shared carriage, so I have no choice but to save on food and lodging expenses, but in the end, I will probably have to think of a means to earn money somewhere.’
”The fact that it is the seventh day means it seems three days have passed since he was kicked out of the castle,” Momoka noted.
”The price of a shared carriage changes depending on the section, so I do not know the exact fare,” I replied, “but he would have consumed at least five white gold coins or more per day if he thought about the food and lodging expenses at a minimum of two white gold coins. Calculating backwards from that, perhaps the amount handed to him was one hundred white gold coins. I wonder if it just ends up being the equivalent of one gold coin.”
Converted to Japanese yen, it is approximately 100,000 yen. It is quite an amount, but it is completely insufficient as travel funds to the republic, and as an amount for a person without relatives to prepare a minimum base of life in a foreign land. Since there was no major content written for the next few days, I will proceed with the translation until there is movement.
’Twelfth day since teleportation. I finally reached the border, but I was told that I could not pass because I did not have a pass. Why did I not realize that something like a passport would be necessary because I was crossing a border? Moreover, I was told that because I am an ihomono, a pass could not be issued on the spot and could only be issued in the royal capital. Does this mean I have to come this far and turn back? Is there no way to obtain a pass other than returning to the royal capital?’
”Why can’t an ihomono get a pass on the spot?” Momoka asked.
”Probably to prevent ihomono who have utility value from escaping to other countries,” I explained. “By making it so that the pass for an ihomono can only be issued in the royal capital, they call them to the royal capital and conduct an investigation. If they find that they have no utility value there, they issue a pass, and if they have utility value, they probably do not issue a pass and confine them, I suppose.”
If that is the case, if there is a means to obtain a pass for an ihomono other than heading to the royal capital, it means that there is only an illegal means, but… let us look at the continuation.
’When I was at a loss, one of the soldiers guarding the border called out to me. That person seemed to have heard my story, and he said that if I had already been investigated in the royal capital, he might be able to issue a pass here as an exception if I could negotiate with the lord of this land and have him confirm it with the royal capital. However, he requested money as compensation, saying that negotiating with the lord is not an easy thing either, but I cannot let my pride stand in the way of my survival. It is definitely a cheaper price than turning back to the royal capital here and coming back again.’
”Neil-sama… is this…” Momoka trailed off.
Perhaps because a bad premonition passed through her head, Momoka looks at me with an anxious face. I also had a bad premonition while translating, but as soon as I turned the page and saw the text written with brute force, everyone who was in this place sensed what had happened without even needing a translation.
’I was deceived. How foolish I was. Getting close to a person in a weakened state and swindling money with sweet words. That I, who have caught many such criminals, would be the victim of fraud. I am disqualified as a detective. Even if I try to take the money back, the opponent is an armed soldier, and moreover, it seems other soldiers are accomplices. Even if I complain that I was deceived here, there will be no one who will take my side. I must think of another plan.’
”As I thought, he was deceived,” Momoka said.
”That is right,” I agreed. “But since he was able to sheath his own sword because the opponent was an armed soldier even though his money was stolen, he does not feel like he is that desperate.”
”How is the continuation?” she asked.
’The kingdom accepts ihomono. I suppose there are many ihomono who come to the kingdom believing in those words. And the more ihomono who seek help visit, the more crimes that take advantage of the weaknesses of such ihomono inevitably increase. In this country, knowing that one is an ihomono carries more risk. First of all, it starts with changing how I look. I will sell my business suit and buy clothes of this world. Clothes that do not exist in this world. Depending on the place, they will probably buy them at a high price.’
”He is amazing, this person,” Momoka marveled. “It is unknown how many hours have passed, but the letters were distorted by anger that could not be suppressed until just before this, but in the next text, he has completely regained his composure.”
”His heart is strong, I suppose,” I said. “If it were me, I would probably drag it out for several weeks, and even after regaining my composure, I would remember it at unexpected times and feel depressed.”
’Fourteenth day since teleportation. I am in trouble. I thought that if I were to sell my business suit, a high-class shop for the upper class would be better than a popular shop used by ordinary citizens, and that much was good, but with that, my business suit sold for three gold coins. There is no way I can use gold coins for payments at ordinary shops. I asked if they could change just one into a white gold coin, but I was told that they did not have such a large amount of white gold coins because they only transact in gold coins. I had no choice but to take it to a money changer, but I ended up being suspected of having stolen money because a person who did not look like a noble or a merchant like me brought in gold coins. I explained the situation desperately and somehow managed to get it exchanged, but in return, I was ripped off quite a bit as a commission fee. I must leave this country quickly and head to the republic.’
”It is one disaster after another…” Momoka sighed.
”That is right,” I said. “But from here on, it looks peaceful for a while.”
Before translating, I checked the content a little further ahead, but the worry about money disappeared because the business suit sold for three gold coins, and there was a feeling of relief seeping from the text that there were still things left that could be sold at a high price if the situation called for it. After that, even while encountering minor problems, he was steadily returning to the royal capital on a path that was far more peaceful compared to the journey there.
’Twentieth day since teleportation. I met an ihomono other than myself.’
—
Summary:
Neil begins the translation of the mysterious memo pad with the assistance of his guards. The contents reveal the chaotic initial days of a past ihomono in this world. The group faces an unresolved mystery regarding the Inquisitor’s strange request.
The narrator continues translating the detective’s logs, tracing his journey from the border to the royal capital. The protagonist faces economic hardship and betrayal by corrupt soldiers, only to adapt by selling his possessions. The narrative reaches a turning point upon his return to the capital.
—
Trivia:
- The cultural significance of Japanese server maintenance as a web-novel trope.
- The socioeconomic disparity and corruption faced by refugees
—
Character Insight:
Neil displays a pragmatic but cautious approach to his mission. His relationship with Ms. Niya and Momoka is evolving into a reliance for protection, while he continues to carefully guard his true identity.
Masayoshi shows remarkable adaptability, pivoting from a victim of fraud to a pragmatic survivor. Momoka grows increasingly invested in the detective’s story, reflecting a shift from observer to concerned participant.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Forutis – Female Lycus beastman with grey hair, arrow‑fast movement, animal ears and a hidden tail under a heavy robe. She possesses superhuman sight, hearing and a keen sense of smell, and protects Bearty as a younger sister, currently tracking a scent from a letter he sent while searching for her missing sister.
• Espera – A crisp-tongued, brutally honest middle-rank Pentis Inquisitor who charges high fees to fund aid. Present in the room as an object of Forutis’s hatred, she quietly departs after coolly assessing Bearty’s unique traits. She also provided Neil with a police notebook and memo pad, requesting a translation.
• Betty – A grey-haired Lycus tribe member born without her left arm and labeled malformed, she is ignorant of sex education due to her tribe’s eugenics. Found in a noble’s manor after missing for weeks, her sister-in-law is Foru-tis.
• Foru – Foru-tis is a female Lycus beastman with grey hair, animal ears, and a hidden tail under a heavy robe. Possessing arrow-fast movement and superhuman senses, she fiercely protects her sister-in-law, Betty (Bearty). Currently, she is tracking a scent from a letter he sent to find her missing sister, who was taken to the Clinic.
• Niya – Ms. Niya is a quick-witted former soldier and leader of the ‘Ihomono’ group outside the frontier settlement. Her military background drives her focus on practical security and training grounds. She commands with abilities like telepathic communication and mutual vision/hearing sharing. Operating beyond the borders, she maintains a key relationship with Neil, being fully aware of his ihomono status.
• Momoka – An associate of Ms. Niya and the strongest member of her group, they are aware of Neil’s status as an ihomono and absorbed the MC’s Crimson.
• Neil – A young Empire noble managing a frontier settlement, this protagonist is secretly an ihomono who hides his identity while working as a translator. Possessing modern electronics knowledge, he maintains complex relationships across social divides as he investigates via a police notebook.
• Pelant – Viscount Broome Pelant, a nobleman carrying the ancestral Empire lineage, is rumored to have hired assassins.
• Masayoshi – Masayoshi Sudo, a detective from another world who became known as the Crime King.
• Sudo – The family name of Masayoshi, indicating his background as a professional investigator.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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